From Skepticism to Confidence: How Damen Jackson found value in the Marcus Evans Summit experience

A Marcus Evans Success Story

“It’s impossible to replicate this in a trade show environment”

— Ron Farnum, President, Damen Jackson

About Damen Jackson

Damen Jackson is a full-service, Chicago-based agency built to support FMCG companies and the unique challenges they face in today’s market.

Damen Jackson Overview

The Marcus Evans Advisory Board recognized you as a best-in-class company in your category. Why do you believe you were recognized as a standout vs your competition?

I believe it’s our track record of consistent success working with top-notch brands in the CPG industry. Our client list shocks people.

What makes your company unique?

We have a deep commitment to strategy. Throughout the entire brand process, every decision is based on a strategy established and aligned on by stakeholders early in the program. This removes subjectivity from the design process, saving time and frustration.

What is your company’s greatest competitive advantage?

Honestly, it’s flexibility. We’ve developed an understanding of what our clients are up against in their own careers and programs, and we build our processes and approaches around their challenges, so they have a great experience. With nearly 30 years as an agency, we help clients by applying our knowledge to streamline and simplify their programs.

Who are some of your biggest clients and how have you helped them?

We’ve worked with clients like Owens Corning, Fisher Nuts, iRobot, InstantPot, Disney and Hanes on brand launches, product design, packaging art, merchandising, messaging and overall strategy.

Website: damenjackson.com

Damen Jackson Case Study: damenjackson.com/project/benzac-power-patch

The Partnership

When Ron Farnum, President of Damen Jackson, was first introduced to Marcus Evans, he approached the opportunity with a healthy degree of skepticism. As a smaller company, the investment required was significant, and Ron wanted to understand whether the format would deliver enough value to justify the cost.

He conducted his own due diligence, including reviewing the Marcus Evans website, watching event videos, searching for reviews, and reading accounts from previous attendees. What ultimately convinced him was the unique nature of the Summit environment: small-group discussions, targeted 1:1 interactions, and access to high-value prospects that would be difficult to reach through traditional sales and marketing channels.

Since partnering with Marcus Evans, Damen Jackson has benefited not only from targeted introductions but also from an account team that has helped the company refine its approach, build confidence, and make the most of its participation.

The Challenge: Reaching High-Value Prospects

As a smaller company, Damen Jackson needed to find more effective ways to connect with high-value prospects and create new business opportunities. Traditional sales and marketing channels made it difficult to gain direct access to the senior decision-makers the company wanted to reach.

The Solution: A More Targeted Way to Reach Prospects

The Summit gave Damen Jackson access to a focused environment designed around direct interaction with relevant senior prospects. For Ron, the key differentiator was the opportunity to have meaningful 1:1 conversations with high-value prospects who would otherwise be difficult to reach through traditional marketing and sales activities.

What the approach enabled:

• Direct prospect access: Engage 1:1 with high-value prospects beyond the company’s traditional reach
• Focused conversations: Have meaningful discussions in a smaller, more targeted environment
• Improved preparation: Gain insight into why delegates were attending and what they were looking to achieve
• Stronger sales approach: Work with the account team to adapt messaging and become more confident and assertive
• Continued engagement: Use MEConnects to generate additional introductions beyond the Summit

The Outcome: Turning Access into Business Opportunities

Ron found that the value of the Summit was driven primarily by the quality of access and the support provided by the Marcus Evans team.

While Damen Jackson’s ROI has not yet reached the level Ron initially hoped for, he believes this is more a reflection of the company’s own approach than any shortcoming in the Marcus Evans program.

Business Impact

• Expanded prospect access: Damen Jackson has connected with high-value contacts it would be unlikely to reach through traditional channels
• More targeted business development: The Summit format allows the team to focus its conversations on relevant prospects and their specific needs
• Better meeting preparation: Greater visibility into delegate objectives helps the team tailor its conversations
• Improved confidence: Account management support has helped the team refine its approach and become more assertive
• Additional introductions: MEConnects has created further opportunities to connect with relevant prospects after the Summit

How the Summit Is Different from Other Events

The Combination of Access, Interaction and Support

For Ron, the biggest differentiator was the quality of interaction the Summit environment makes possible. He saw a clear distinction between the Summit model and traditional trade shows, where meaningful conversations with senior prospects can be more difficult to secure.

The combination of:

• Small-group discussions that create a focused environment for exchanging ideas
• 1:1 meetings that provide direct access to relevant prospects
• High-value delegates who would otherwise be difficult to reach
• Targeted qualification and matching to improve meeting relevance
• Ongoing account management that helps participants refine their approach
• MEConnects that extends networking and introductions beyond the event 

...creates an experience Ron believes is difficult to replicate through a conventional trade show.

Results at a Glance

Why Damen Jackson Continues to Engage

A Partnership That Strengthens the Approach

For Ron, the decision to participate ultimately comes down to the access and support the Summit model provides.

Although the investment is significant, the opportunity to have direct exposure to high-value prospects offsets some of the cost, particularly when those prospects would be difficult to reach through traditional marketing and sales efforts.

The account management relationship has also been a key part of the experience, giving Damen Jackson a team that helps the company continuously improve how it approaches its opportunities.

“They have helped us adapt, modify our approach and be more confident and assertive about our approach.”

A Straightforward Extension Beyond the Summit

Continuing the Conversation Through MEConnects

Damen Jackson has also used MEConnects to generate additional introductions beyond its Summit participation. Ron describes the platform as easy to use and sees it as a valuable extension of the Summit experience, allowing the company to continue engaging with relevant prospects after the event.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hesitations or concerns did you have when you were first approached by Marcus Evans?

The cost was the biggest hurdle to overcome. The second concern was how long it would take to recoup that investment, and lastly, what other similar programs might there be to look into.

Were any of those concerns valid?

It is an expensive investment for a company of our size, but the cost is offset by the 1:1 exposure to high-value prospects we’d be unlikely to meet via more traditional marketing or sales efforts.

How would you describe the account management service you’ve received from the team?

The account team is the best thing about Marcus Evans. They have helped us adapt, modify our approach and be more confident and assertive about our approach.

How did you find the qualification and matching process for the meetings you had?

Outstanding and continually getting better. This last time, having some insight as to why the delegates were attending and what they were looking for was incredibly helpful.

Did Marcus Evans deliver everything that was promised?

Yes, they have delivered everything they have promised to do. Our ROI has not quite been as high as we hoped, but that has been more on us than anything lacking in the Marcus Evans program.

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